Confused by all of those districts and what they mean? Here is a primer:

Election District

This identifies where you vote, not for whom you vote

County Legislative District

Elects Tompkins County Legislators

The Town of Ithaca spans County Legislative Districts 5, 7, 10, 11, and 12 (some of these districts also cover areas outside of the Town of Ithaca)

There are 14 Legislative Districts in Tompkins County

NY State Senate District

Elects New York State Senators

The Town of Ithaca is in NYS Senate District 58

There are 63 Senate Districts in NY State

NY State Assembly District

Elects NY State Assembly members

The Town of Ithaca is in NYS Assembly District 125

There are 150 Assembly Districts in NY State Assembly

NY State Congressional District

Elects Representatives to the United States House of Representatives

United States Congressional Districts in NY State: 27

The Town of Ithaca is in NYS Congressional District 23

Voting in New York State

Everyone who is a U.S. citizen, 18 years of age or older, can register to vote in New York State. You do not need to be enrolled in a political party to vote in a general election, but you do need to be enrolled in a party to vote in that party’s primary. You must already be registered to vote before Election Day; call the Tompkins County Board of Elections (274-5522) for the deadline.

Political Parties in New York State

The Democratic Party is one of two major political parties in New York State; the other is the Republican Party. There are other political parties as well, including the Independence Party. This should not be confused with having no party affiliation. If you register to vote but do not enroll in a political party, you are “unaffiliated.” Some people call this being an “independent,” but it is not the same thing as being enrolled in the Independence Party.

Town of Ithaca Election District Map

Use the zoom in button on the bottom of this map. The map remains clear even at 500% zoom.